General

Pike Place Market is a must-see if you're in Seattle. It's a fun place in which to shop, eat, people watch, and enjoy the city's street performers. There are a number of good restaurants here, but if you're short on time you can also grab and go. Everyone has their own favorites and there are no really bad restaurants here.

Westlake Center is a four-story mall located on 5th Avenue between Olive and Pine (it's 3 blocks from the Convention Center and close to several of the ALA hotels). The food court on the top floor has a wide variety of chain and local vendors so if you're between meetings, don't have time to wait for a table and the line at the Convention Center Taco Del Mar is out the door, consider it as a quick alternative to the pre-packaged sandwiches and soda at the convention center.

Pacific Place is a more upscale four-story shopping mall located kitty-corner from the Convention Center and taking up the block bounded by 6th & 7th avenues and Olive and Pine. No fast-food, but the seven restaurants located here are all very good and conveniently located. And then if you want to take in a movie, you're right at one of downtown Seattle's main multiplexes.

The Cheesecake Factory is conveniently located across the street from the Washington State Convention Center at 700 Pike Street. Do I need to mention that the cheesecake is fabulous?

Moxie Moxie is a great new uptown bistro located in Seattle's Uptown/Lower Queen Anne neighborhood. Its Northwest eclectic menu featuring delicious seafood entrees and appetizers while supporting organic producers and local farms makes it a great choice. With a full-service restaurant and bar, it is open daily from 5:30 pm to 11 pm with a "happy hour half price menu" featured twice nightly from 4 pm to 5:30 pm and again from 11 pm to 12 am. Easy bus, taxi, or monorail transportation.

Guaymas Cantina is a new branch of the local Tacos Guaymas chain. Very good Mexican food, authentic and affordable, not to be confused with other Americanized tacos chains. Located at the Harbor Steps (literally stairs at the end of University Street, that go down towards the water, between 1st Ave. and Western Ave.), within walking distance of the conference hotels.

Vegetarian/Vegan

Cafe Flora is one of the best vegetarian restaurants in Seattle. From downtown, on Pike Street, take the number 11 bus to Madison Valley and get off right in front of the restaurant at 2901 E. Madison St. About a 15 min. bus ride.

Carmelita may well be the best vegetarian restaurant in Seattle. The food is beautifully presented and fabulous. On 3rd Avenue at Pine St., take the number 5 bus and get off at Greenwood Ave. N. & N. 72nd St. Walk north one block to the restaurant at 7314 Greenwood Ave. N. About a 30 min. bus ride.

Teapot Restaurant is a kosher, vegan, Pan-Asian restaurant located in Capitol Hill. It has a wide selection of faux-meat dishes that are both lovely and delicious! From downtown on Pike St., take bus route 43 or 10. On the 43, exit at E. John St. and 15th Ave E. and walk 0.1 mile to 345 15th Ave. E. On the 10, exit at 15th Ave. E. & E. Harrison St. and walk 0.1 mile to 345 15th Ave. E. Bus ride is 10-15 min.

Flower's Cafe is a mainstay for UW veggies/vegans. Known for their All You Can Eat lunch special. Located in the University District on the corner of University Way NE and NE 43rd Street, one block from the UW campus.

African

There are numerous Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants in Seattle, primarily in the Capitol Hill and Central District neighborhoods. Seattle Weekly has listing of them with reviews.

American/Diner

Beth's Cafe is on Aurora Ave. in North Seattle but it's worth the trip for this 24 hour diner which was once featured on a Travel Channel show on the best places in America to pig out. They have a jukebox, and the walls are covered in odd-looking drawings done by customers. 7311 Aurora Ave N (Cross Street: Winona Avenue), 206-782-5588.

The Soundview Cafe is a coffee shop/diner located in Pike Place Market. They serve breakfast all day, and the dining area has a lovely view of Puget Sound. Affordable. 1501 Pike Place, Suite 501, (206) 623-5700.

The Ram is in University Village, a shopping center just off Montlake Blvd. and downhill from the University of Washington. It's a raucous restaurant/sports bar catering to UW students, so be prepared for lots of frat boy shenanigans. That said, it's also got some pretty amazing food. If you're looking for a good night out with friends, treat yourself to a pitcher of the house brew and order the bread pudding-- seriously some of the BEST stuff you'll ever have!

Honeybaked Ham, also located in the Village, is a nice little sandwich shop/store, great for lunch. The sandwiches are a bit pricy, but they're worth it. Same goes for the soups. They should be in good spirits, just winding down from the Christmas rush... ask for the manager (Alex) and tell him Mark (former employee, 2001-2) sent you.

Crocodile Cafe (aka The Croc) One of the better music venues in the city, it serves up a "mean breakfast" 6 days a week (closed Monday). Healthy portions of your breakfast staples served up in a Seattle institution. 2200 2nd Avenue in Belltown.

Asian

The International Food Court at Uwajimaya Village includes Thai, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese food - among others! Lots of fun, located in the International District, just a couple of blocks beyond where the Metro Transit Free Ride bus zone ends at S. Jackson St. The mall also includes a large Kinokuniya Bookstore. (600 5th Avenue South)

Chinoise is a wonderful local chain of three restaurants serving Pan-Asian cuisine. Chinoise on Madison is located at 2801 E. Madison St. in Madison Valley. Take the number 11 bus on Pike Street and get off on E. Madison St. at 27th Ave. E or E. Madison at 29th Ave. E. (about a 16 min. bus ride). Chinoise Cafe on Queen Anne Hill is located at 12 Boston St. (on 3rd Ave. and Pike St. downtake take the number 4 East Queen Anne bus and exit at Boston St. and 1st Ave. N; about 20 min. bus ride) and Chinoise on 45th is located at 1618 N. 45th St. (from 3rd. Ave. and Pike St. downtown take a number 16 Northgate bus and exit at N. 45th St. & Woodlawn Ave. N.; about 22 min. ride).

Shanghai Garden at 524 6th Ave. S. is an unusual Chinese restaurant, featuring high-nutrition foods such as Barley Green noodles and brown rice. None of the food includes MSG. Go with some friends so you can get a lot of variety - but be prepared for big portions!

Teapot Restaurant is a kosher, vegan, Pan-Asian restaurant located in Capitol Hill. It has a wide selection of faux-meat dishes that are both lovely and delicious! From downtown on Pike St., take bus route 43 or 10. On the 43, exit at E. John St. and 15th Ave E. and walk 0.1 mile to 345 15th Ave. E. On the 10, exit at 15th Ave. E. & E. Harrison St. and walk 0.1 mile to 345 15th Ave. E. Bus ride is 10-15 min.

Wild Ginger is one of the most popular restaurants in Seattle, and is a Pan-Asian restaurant featuring foods of the Pacific Rim countries lying between India and Japan: Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Burma, Thailand, South China, and Vietnam. Downtown at 1401 Third Avenue. Reservations recommended, as this place is always crowded.

Mae Phim is a very popular local lunch spot. Excellent Thai menu offers large portions for a very low price (all entrees are $5.50). Take out or eat in, but avoid going at noon, or you will be waiting in line out on the sidewalk. Go for an early/late lunch or for dinner and you can grab one of the dozen tables inside. 94 Columbia St (1st & Columbia).

Koji Osakaya Japanese Restaurant is the Seattle branch of a Portland chain. Located at Harbor Steps (literally stairs at the end of University Street that go down towards the water, between 1st Ave. and Western Ave.). Open for both lunch and dinner, great food at very affordable prices, and within walking distance of the conference hotels. 89 University St., 206-583-0980.

Thai Tom's is a local secret. You'll find it on University Way (locals call it "The Ave."-- NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH UNIVERSITY STREET, which is downtown), near the University of Washington. As an undergraduate at UW, it was one of my all-time favorites. Food can't be beat, and watching Tom cook is truly an experience. Nothing on the menu is over $7, and if you're a starving student (or want to remember when you were), you should know that you can easily make two meals out of one order. Barring that...

Thaiger Room is one the other end of University Way. Thaiger's slightly pricier, and more of a family sit-down place. Food is nearly (but not quite) as good as Tom's. No open kitchen, either.

French

Campagne is an award-winning nationally recognized restaurant located at the Inn at the Market in the Pike Place Market. Its sister, Cafe Campagne is located at 1600 Post Alley at Pine St.

Rovers may possibly be the top restaurant of any kind in Seattle. The dinner menu offers à la carte options and three different multi-course dégustation tasting menus. These menus offer a variety of tasting size dishes in the French tradition, allowing the diner to "déguster," or eat in small bites. These set menus include: a Vegetarian Menu Dégustation for $80.00, a Menu Dégustation for $90.00, and a Grand Menu Dégustation for $125.00. Located in Madison Valley at 2808 E. Madison St. Take the number 11 bus on Pike Street and get off on E. Madison St. at 27th Ave. E or E. Madison at 29th Ave. E. (about a 16 min. bus ride). A not-to-be missed dining experience!

Also in Madison Valley are two wonderful, eminently affordable French bistros, Voila! (2805 E. Madison St.) and its sister, Saint Germain (2811 E. Madison St.). Take the number 11 bus on Pike Street and get off on E. Madison St. at 27th Ave. E or E. Madison at 29th Ave. E. (about a 16 min. bus ride).

Sostanza Trattoria in Madison Park (1927 43rd Ave. E.) overlooks Madison Beach on the shores of Lake Washington and was listed as among the top 20 in Seattle by Gourmet Magazine. Take the number 11 bus on Pike Street and get off at the end of Madison St. (about 25 min. bus ride).

Seafood

"Where do I go for good salmon?" is probably second only to "Where is Pike Place Market?" as the question most frequently asked by the Seattle visitor. This list is not meant to be comprehensive, but only representative, of some of the places you can get great seafood.

Besides Ivar's Fish and Chips (many locations but most notable is the Fish Bar with dockside seatting at Ivar's Salmon House), there are a number of places to get good, inexpensive fish and chips, chowder and other affordable take-out or sit-down seafood:

Crab Pot Restaurant & Bar (Downtown Waterfront, Pier 57, known for it's Seafest, a big ol' bucket of seafood, corn on the cob, potatoes and sausage that comes served on a brown paper tablecloth with mallets for everyone)

Shucker's (Downtown in the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, best oysters in town)

Yes, there are places to get bad seafood in Seattle, but generally it will not be at any of these places. This is just a representative listing, there are many more restaurants in Seattle that serve good seafood.

If you really want to be like a native Seattleite, instead of going to a restaurant, buy your seafood fresh from Pike Place Market, Uwajimaya's (International District) or Mutual Fish (Rainier Valley), buy some fresh sourdough bread, salad and a bottle of local riseling, chardonnay or champagne and have a seafood feast in your hotel room. No kitchen, no problem. Steamed Dungeness Crab is already cooked, have the fish market crack it for you. Bon appetit.